


Brothers Are The Same

by orphan_account



Category: Tuck Everlasting - Miller/Tysen/Shear & Federle, Tuck Everlasting - Natalie Babbitt
Genre: Brother Bear AU, Gen, Get Ready For Some Tuck Bro Bonding Amiright
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-08
Updated: 2016-09-14
Packaged: 2018-08-13 20:38:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7985428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Miles' father Angus dies while on a camping trip, he wants to exact revenge on the bear responsible. But, his father's nature-loving spirit had another plan to get him to appreciate the world around him for what it is, and to find family in the most unexpected place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was an idea from deputyhugo, who this is dedicated to! Idk how often I'll update, but I'll definitely try my best to do so regularly!

“That’s the sixth eagle you’ve pointed out, Pa. I know they’re your favorite animal, but isn’t pointing out every single one a little excessive?” Miles Tuck rolled his eyes as he hiked through the woods with his father. He hated being out in nature, preferring his small apartment in the middle of the city. Pulling on the straps of his backpack, Miles looked around at their surroundings. “Are we seriously going to hike all the way out in the middle of nowhere just to go camping? Why can’t we just find a campsite somewhere?” Miles complained. Angus Tuck chuckled, patting his son on the back.

“Where’s your sense of adventure, Miles? You used to love camping with me, where did that part of you go?” he teased, causing Miles to pull the hood of his sweatshirt over his head.

“That part of me realized he hated the outdoors. And animals. And wide open spaces,” Miles sighed.

As much as he hated being out in the middle of the woods, Miles had to admit that the view was great. As they came to a stop, Miles dropped his bag and looked out over the cliff. The sun was still rising over the hills, giving the entire valley below a warm glow. Miles turned back around as Angus began to build their tent. Growing more bored, he opened Angus’ backpack in search of something to eat and froze.

“Uh, pa?” Miles questioned, pulling a small pistol out of the bag. Angus lifted his head and chuckled, seeing his quizzical expression. Miles raised an eyebrow. “Why did you bring a gun?”

“The woods can be dangerous. I don’t think we’ll need it, but it’s good to be prepared anyways,” he said as he put the finishing touches on the tent. “Thanks for your help, by the way,” Angus pointed out in a sarcastic voice.

“We just hiked five miles uphill, I’m sorry if I’m hungry!” he walked over to the tent, setting his own backpack inside. He knew that Angus wanted him to come along to get a better appreciation for the outdoors, but Miles figured that it would probably backfire. Being out for a night in the middle of nowhere would make him appreciate nature way less than before. Rolling out his sleeping bag, Miles down on it, still feeling the rough terrain beneath it.

“We’re hiking all the way up to the peak tomorrow, so hopefully you sleep well tonight!” Angus smiled at him. Miles stuck his head out of the tent with an incredulous look on his face.

“You’re kidding me. That’s so far, it’s not possible!” Miles groaned, laying back.

“Not with that attitude. Now come on, let’s gather some wood for tonight.” Miles agreed reluctantly, following his father through the woods. The air was crisp as it normally was for an early September morning. The sounds of the forest put Miles on edge, not being used to hearing so many different animals at once. To a normal person, the chirping of birds would be something soothing, but Miles despised all things related to the outdoors. Angus was only trying to help him get over that. It didn’t seem to work though, as Miles was only getting more upset.

“So, how long until-” Miles froze when they heard growling coming from behind them. He whipped around quickly and gasped, seeing a bear nearby. Angus noticed his tension and grabbed his shoulder.

“Miles, just keep quiet and it’ll be fine,” he said softly. “It’s not going to do anything unless we provoke it. Or if it’s a mother with a cub nearby. Let’s hope not,” Angus stood still as Miles began to panic more. The bear caught the scent of the two and roared again, charging towards them. Miles and Angus took off running, the bear in tow. Making their way past their makeshift campsite, Angus took a detour, running the opposite direction to get the bear away from Miles. Miles froze, watching the bear advance towards his father.

“Pa, look out!” Miles cried as the bear swept a paw at Angus. He stumbled backwards, trying to keep his balance at the edge of the cliff. A loud crack rang out through the forest as the edge of the cliff started to collapse from the weight of both Angus and the large bear. “NO!” Miles shrieked as the rocks crumbled beneath his father’s feet, sending him tumbling down the large ravine below. The bear leapt out of the way just in time to escape, but Angus was not so lucky.

Miles grabbed the pistol from the tent in a blind rage, determined to deal with the bear himself. Loading the bullets, he aimed it at the bear and pulled the trigger. The first shot missed, but the next few hit their target, sending the bear toppling over the cliff. Miles ran to the edge and all he saw was Angus’ red flannel shirt snagged on a branch about 30 feet down. He choked back a sob and closed his eyes shut tightly, not noticing the sudden bursts of color all around him. Miles opened his eyes, having heard a noise that sounded suspiciously like his father calling his name. An eagle flew into the air in front of him, the colors swirling more rapidly before they became too bright, causing Miles to pass out, the faint roar of a bear being the last thing he heard before everything went completely black.


	2. Chapter 2

Miles woke up near the camp with a splitting headache. All the colors seemed too bright, every noise escalated. The events of the day before were all a blur, the only thing Miles knew was that his father wasn’t coming back. Miles tried to stand up, but fell over, feeling like his center of gravity had shifted. He managed to drag himself the few yards south to the creek to splash water on his face. There was no way he was going to make it home in this condition.

As Miles reached for the cold, clear water of the creek, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the water. Except that it wasn't  _ his  _ reflection. It couldn't have been. Miles saw the face of a bear looking back at him and he cried out, leaping back from the water. He slipped on a rock and tumbled into the creek, taking notice of his body for the first time that morning. Every inch of him was covered in dark brown fur.

“What the?!” Miles cried out, looking at himself. “No, this can't be real. I have to be dreaming! This whole trip is just some sick dream!” He lifted a hand, or rather, a paw to his face and squeezed his eyes shut in disbelief. “Come on Miles, just wake up,” he stumbled through the woods. Suddenly, he realized that he could understand the sounds in the forest that was just mindless noise to him before.

The birds flying overhead were having a casual conversation about their days, a pair of rabbits hopped by quickly, chattering about the best place to find a good meal. Miles shook his head quickly, not able to comprehend what exactly was happening to him.

“Oh my god, I'm dead, aren't I?” He muttered to himself. “I was killed by the bear and this is my personal hell,” Miles walked back in the direction of the camp, only to be yanked up into the tree, a trap tangled around his ankle. Miles hit his head on the tree and continued to swing. He groaned, closing his eyes in exasperation. If this wasn't hell, someone out there hated him.

“Hey, are you stuck up there?” A voice called out. Miles looked around and saw a small bear cub looking up at him curiously.

“No, I can get out by myself. I can handle it,” he tried to use a nearby stick to untie the knot, but it snapped, hitting him in the nose.

“Ooh, that's gotta hurt! C’mon, let me help you!” The little bear stood up, walking toward the tree.

“I said, I can handle it. Now go run along or whatever,” Miles sighed in annoyance.

“Fine. You know, I got stuck in a tree once! It wasn't like this, but I used to climb all sorts of trees. Maple trees, birch trees, ash trees, pine trees…” The bear settled down at the base of the tree, listing off any kind of tree he’d ever climbed. Miles clenched his jaw, feeling annoyed. He thought to himself that this must be what it’s like to have a younger brother. The bear cub watched him curiously as he tried nearly everything to get himself untied, but ultimately failed. Hours passed and eventually he saw the sun start to set.

“God, I'm gonna die here,” Miles muttered as he hung upside down. The bear stood up, looking up at Miles.

“You're not very good at this. Hey, I'll make a deal with you! If you promise to take me to the peak of the mountain, I'll get you down from there,” Miles rolled his eyes. This small bear cub couldn't come up with any way to get Miles down that he hadn't already thought of.

“Fine,” Miles agreed, not seriously believing that he could get him down. “I promise I'll take you there if you can get me out of this thing.” The cub looked at him, then easily pulled on the rope, loosening it from where it was tied. Miles came crashing down to the ground. He rubbed his head and sighed. It was going to be a very long day.

“Great! Now you have to take me to the peak of the mountain!” The cub rejoiced, grinning.

“No, I take it back,” Miles walked awkwardly, trying to get used to his new form.

“But you promised!” He stuck out his lip, looking sadly at Miles.

“Yeah? Well, things change! I have my own problems to deal with, I don't have to take some stupid cub to the top of a mountain,” Miles sighed. This kid couldn't take the hint that he wanted to get away from him.

“Okay, the truth is… I got separated from my mom…” He looked down. “We were supposed to meet up there, but she disappeared,” Miles raised an eyebrow, looking up at the peak above them. He noticed the lights, identical to those from the night before. He stopped, knowing he needed to get there. That’s where he could find answers and find out why he was just suddenly a bear.

“You know what? I'll take you there,” Miles sighed eventually. The cub’s face lit up instantly.

“You will? Great!” He hopped up on a log, trying to keep his balance. “I know a shortcut there! You just have to stay with me,” he walked into the woods with Miles in tow. “My name’s Jesse, by the way! What’s yours?” Jesse turned to Miles.

“Miles. Now come on, the sooner we get there, the sooner this ordeal will be over,” he kept walking, but Jesse stopped. He groaned, looking back at Jesse. “What's wrong now?”

“It's too late to head there now! We have to get our rest if we’re going to make it there sooner,” Jesse settled down beside a log. Miles sighed, giving up and laying down by him, but kept his distance.

“Fine. But we’re heading out first thing tomorrow, got it kid?” Miles looked at him.

“My name’s not kid, it’s Jesse,” Jesse pouted as he snuggled closer to Miles. Miles scooted farther away from Jesse, not wanting to be cuddly with this small bear he’d just met.

“Well, Jesse, you need to keep the snuggling to a minimum. I don't do touchy-feely,” Miles closed his eyes, suddenly feeling tired.

“Sure thing, Miles,” Jesse stayed put, not wanting to get into Miles’ personal space. Miles slowly started to drift off to sleep, hoping the nightmare would be over when he woke up.


	3. Chapter 3

“Psssst, Miles…” Miles felt a small paw pat his face. He groaned, shoving Jesse off of him. The realization set in that it wasn’t just some weird dream; he was still a bear, and this kid was still hanging around him. Why was he so intent on staying with Miles specifically? There must have been some other bear in the area who he could latch onto.

“Trying to sleep here, Jesse,” he muttered, rolling over. Jesse leaned on him again and sighed. Wasn’t he bored of hanging around Miles by now?

“Yeah, but if we wanna get there soon we have to get going! So wake up!” Jesse pushed him over. Miles looked at Jesse, slowly getting up.

“Fine. Now how exactly did you get separated from your mom? Maybe she just ditched you,” Miles suggested as they started to walk toward the mountain. Jesse looked away, feeling hurt by his comment.

“No, she wouldn't do that,” he shook his head. “She loves me! Would your mom just ditch you?” he asked sarcastically.

“Wouldn’t know. She died when I was really young,” Miles looked straight ahead, not wanting to talk more about it. Jesse walked faster, trying to see Miles’ face.

“What happened to her?” he asked, his voice going quiet. Miles sighed, not making eye contact with Jesse.

“I don’t talk about it… Come on, let’s just find the stupid cliffs,” he stopped beside a creek, taking a drink. Jesse jumped in, coming back up with a small fish in his mouth. Miles curled his lip in disgust. He was never one for sushi, and this seemed like it was going to be less appetizing than that. His stomach suddenly grumbled, causing Jesse to look at him curiously.

“Aren’tcha hungry? You didn’t eat anything yesterday and it sounds like your stomach wants something anyways,” Jesse nudged Miles, setting the fish down on a boulder. “Ooooh, you didn’t eat bad berries or something, did you? I made that mistake a few weeks ago. That’s what makes my tummy rumble sometimes. Well, why don’t you try eating anyway? You can have this, I’ll just catch another one!” Jesse jumped back into the creek. Miles was thankful that he didn’t have to catch it for himself; he never liked fishing much anyway. Reluctantly, he decided to take a bite of the fish. He wasn’t going to make it to the peak of the mountain if he didn’t eat at least something. Surprisingly, it wasn’t half bad. Miles blamed it on his bear tastebuds, knowing that he’d never eat it as a human. His stomach stopped aching afterwards, which helped a lot.

Jesse somehow got even more energy after eating and began climbing up a tree as Miles sat by the creek. Miles looked up at him with a quizzical expression.

“I thought we were supposed to be heading out now, not playing around,” he sighed as Jesse laughed.

“Where’s your sense of adventure, Miles?” Jesse asked, hanging from a branch. “It’s not like we’ll never make it there! You have to have a little fun once in awhile. Do you even remember what it’s like to have fun?” Jesse mocked.

“My idea of fun isn’t climbing a tree,” Miles walked over to him. “Now come on, kid,” he sat at the base of the tree, waiting for Jesse to climb down.

“No, I think you should climb up here before anything else,” Jesse said in a mischievous voice. As Miles groaned in annoyance, he laughed. “Come on, you need to let loose a little! You're such a downer!” He called down to Miles.

“You'd be a downer too if your dad just died and you got turned into a bear…” Miles muttered so that Jesse couldn't hear him. “If I climb up where you are, will you come down so we can keep going? I really want to get the whole thing over with, you know,” he stood up, leaning against the trunk of the tree.

“Yep! You just have to come up here first!” Jesse cried out, climbing higher. Miles sighed as he struggled to climb up the tree. He used to climb trees a lot when he was younger, but he stopped after his mother died. It wasn't easy, but Miles eventually made it up into the tree. Jesse grinned at him. “You did it! Look at that view, though… Isn't it wonderful up here?” Jesse looked out over the horizon, taking in the view. Miles saw the bright green trees in the valley below, some of them changing to their rich autumn colors. The collage of foliage below them was absolutely stunning. “You just gotta take a moment for yourself sometimes, y’know?” Jesse looked at Miles.

“Yeah, I know,” Miles admitted, thinking of how much his father would have loved the colors of the forest. “I actually needed this, Jesse. So, thanks,” he said begrudgingly, not wanting to show much emotion around him. He slowly and carefully began to climb down, feeling a new appreciation for the world around him. He finally reached the ground and stretched, ready to get going again. Jesse hopped down easily and began to chatter once more as they walked together.

“I like you, Miles. You were kind of mean at first, but you're nicer now that I know you better,” he looked up at Miles. Miles tried, but failed, to hold back a smile.

“You're not as annoying as I thought you were. So I guess I like you too, Jesse,” he shoved Jesse lightly and playfully. Jesse smiled a little and jumped on Miles’ back, knocking him over. Miles laughed, shoving him off. “What are you doing? Don't you want to get there?"

“My mom will wait for me once she gets there. I want to spend time with my new friend!” Jesse grinned, laying on top of Miles. It seemed too early to call him a friend, but Miles did feel a connection to this small, slightly annoying bear; how he imagined someone would feel about their little sibling. He felt like he needed to protect Jesse, but he didn't know what from. Just a day prior, he wanted to just get away from him as soon as possible, but now he felt an obligation to make sure Jesse was safe. What could he say? The little guy had grown on him. Regardless, he still had to get himself and Jesse to the peak of the mountain where he'd seen the lights before. The more he thought about it, the farther it seemed to be. How long was he going to be stuck as a bear? And what was going to happen to him when he got there?


	4. Chapter 4

“So, why do _you_ have to get to the peak of the mountain? What's waiting for you up there aside from your mom?” Miles asked as he and Jesse continued through the forest. He was beginning to grow bored of walking, but knew it would be over with sooner if they kept on going.

 “Well, there’s a cave there where we like to hibernate every winter, so we were going to get a head start and stay there while we ate enough for hibernation,” Jesse shrugged. “Nothing serious, we just wanted to stick together.”

 “Uh huh… You're pretty calm for having been separated from your mom,” Miles pointed out to him.

 “That's because I have you!” Jesse grinned at him. “I would be scared if I was alone, but you're helping me so I don't have a reason to be afraid,” he shrugged. Miles smiled a little to himself. He’d never been this close to someone after just a day. The feeling that someone else needed him actually made him feel better about the whole thing. He thought that maybe Jesse was the reason he was stuck like this. Maybe he needed to take care of Jesse and return him to his mom before he could turn back.

 “Well, I'm glad I could help,” he nudged Jesse with his shoulder. “Hey, uh… Look… I might not see you again after I return you to your mother,” Miles sighed, looking away.

 “What do you mean? You live around here, right? Why wouldn't I see you again?” Jesse looked at him in confusion. Miles didn't answer for a moment, not knowing what to tell Jesse.

 “I just- never mind,” he said, not wanting to think about it. “We probably have time, why don't you show me your favorite places? I wanna see these woods from your perspective,” Miles smiled. Jesse’s face lit up instantly.

 “You mean it? Great! I want to show you my favorite place to get berries, my favorite cliff to look out on, and my favorite tree to climb!” Jesse dashed in front of Miles, getting excited. Miles chuckled and ran after him. He had to admit, Jesse saw things from a much brighter perspective than Miles did. In a weird way, he reminded Miles a lot of himself when he was little. Miles used to love the outdoors and had a sense of adventure like Jesse; finding the fun in every little thing. But, after his mom died, he shut everyone out. He was a little relieved that Jesse was able to bring the old part of him back, if only for the few days it took to get to the peak of the mountain. Miles couldn’t help but think of what was to come when he eventually made it back home. As Jesse led him around, chattering lightly, Miles only thought of how it was going to feel to return to the real world. He had nothing to hold onto anymore. Brushing those thoughts aside, he decided to just focus on what was happening at the moment.

 “... So then, my friend Winnie said that she didn’t believe I could catch a salmon in less than thirty seconds. Boy, was she surprised when I did it in ten!” Jesse laughed, enraptured in his own story. Miles chuckled lightly. This kid seemed to find the adventure in any small situation, and Miles admired that. Jesse stopped in front of two enormous bushes and looked at Miles. “This is it! This is where I get the best berries from,” he leapt into one, immediately devouring as many berries as he could. Miles sat beside one of the bushes, eating more carefully than Jesse who, at that point, had eaten at least five mouthfuls of them. “Aren’t they good?” Jesse mumbled through his full mouth and Miles nodded in agreement. He enjoyed this much more than having to eat a raw fish.

 “How often do you come here, exactly?” Miles looked at him. Jesse shrugged as he continued to shove his mouth full of berries.

 “I don’t remember how many times we’ve come here, but it’s my mom’s favorite too. It’s a shame she isn’t here now,” Jesse lay down after god knows how many dozens of berries he ate. It was starting to get late and Miles walked over to Jesse, laying down beside him. Jesse yawned and stood up, oblivious to Miles’ presence beside him. Miles pulled him down, giving him a small smile.

 “Why don’t we stop here for the day? You can’t just keep walking on that full of a stomach. Besides, we can see the rest of your favorite spots tomorrow. Sound good, Jesse?” Miles asked. Jesse nodded, curling up beside him. Miles considered pushing Jesse away so he could have his space, but he let him stay there. The kid was too tired, and Miles didn’t want to disturb him. They’d had a longer day than Miles had expected. He was even tired out by that point. Miles heard the rumble of thunder a few miles away and pushed Jesse under the cover of the berry bushes, just in case it began to rain.

Just as Miles thought about it, a heavy downpour of rain started coming down. Luckily, the bushes were under a large tree that mostly protected them from the rain. Miles wasn’t as small as Jesse, so he couldn’t curl up anywhere to protect himself from the cold wind that started howling. His main concern was making sure that Jesse was warm and dry. Jesse remained asleep, to Miles’ relief. He knew that Jesse would stay asleep as long as he was comfortable.

That didn't help him relax as the wind blew fiercely, however. Miles kept thinking too much about what would happen to him. He might never turn back to a human. If he were stuck as a bear, how would he even manage? By that point, all he knew how to do was from Jesse. He couldn’t depend on him forever, especially after he returned Jesse to his mother. After a while, the wind let up and he eventually fell asleep. But Miles still couldn’t shake the feeling that he would never have even a sliver of his old life left.


	5. Chapter 5

Miles woke up before Jesse the next morning after tossing and turning all night. The entire night he had been plagued by nightmares, seeing his father’s death over and over as he was helpless to stop it. As he saw the sunlight start to come in through the trees after the storm the night before, Miles decided to let Jesse sleep as long as he needed. Even though he wasn’t showing it, he had to have been stressed out about the separation from his mom. Miles surveyed his surroundings and began to climb the tall ash tree that loomed above them. As he broke through the top, he looked around, curious as to how close they were to the mountain. From his estimate, it seemed about another day or two before they’d reach it. They’d traveled a little over halfway there.

“Whatcha doin’ Miles?” Miles nearly slipped, not expecting Jesse to call up to him. Miles began to cautiously climb back down the branches.

“I was seeing how far the mountain is. We’ll probably get there by tomorrow, maybe the day after if we stop a lot,” he hopped down the last foot between the last branch and the ground.

“Well, then we should get going!” Jesse grinned. Miles smiled at him.

“Aren’t you hungry? Or did you have enough berries yesterday to last you the rest of your life?” he teased.

“Ha ha, you’re  _ so _ funny. I am hungry, but there’s a river by my favorite tree to climb where we can get the best fish! Remember, we were going to see that, and we could stay the night on my favorite cliff that overlooks the entire valley. It has the nicest view of the stars at night,” Jesse sighed dreamily as they continued walking.

“Sounds like a perfect day,” Miles agreed. Eventually, they came to a deep ravine where there was a single log that stretched from one end to the other. Miles stopped, looking at Jesse. “You can’t be serious. We have to cross  _ this _ ?” he asked, staring.

“What, are you scared?” Jesse smirked, hopping onto the log. “You’re older than I am, I can’t believe you’re scared of walking on a measly little log across a-” Jesse was cut off as he lost his balance. He nearly slipped and fell into the deep pit below, but he held on. Miles gasped, running over to him, not caring anymore about his fear of heights.

“Jesse, just hold on! You’re going to be okay!” Miles reassured him as he picked up Jesse. The log couldn’t handle both their weight together and a loud cracking sound came from beneath them. Without hesitation, Miles ran across as quickly as he could, making sure Jesse was still with him. The log collapsed the instant Miles’ feet touched the ground and he lay on the ground for a moment, catching his breath. “Jesse, are you okay?” Miles looked at Jesse, who was staring into the ravine, looking terrified. Miles walked over and sat beside Jesse, noticing that he was holding his paw weirdly. “Jesse, you have a cut, we’ll need to clean off your paw as soon as we get to the river,” Miles sighed, worrying about him like an older sibling or parent would.

“You saved me…” Jesse said softly, still staring at the ground in shock. Miles raised an eyebrow at him in confusion.

“Yeah, that’s what brothers do-” Miles stopped, realizing what he was saying. Jesse turned to him and a small grin spread across his face.

“You think we’re brothers?” Jesse asked. Miles didn’t say anything for a moment, then nodded.

“Of course we are. Now come on, climb on my back. I don’t want you walking around on that paw, you’ll hurt yourself more,” Miles leaned down enough for Jesse to sit on his back. “Just tell me which way to go.”

They walked for a few hours before Jesse nudged him.

“We’re here now! Hear the water?” Jesse pointed out the sound of a rushing river. A tall tree stood on the bank of the river and Miles gently set Jesse down. Jesse rinsed his paw off before fully jumping into the river. Miles followed after him, making a bigger splash than he intended. Jesse caught multiple fish, dragging them over to the shore.

“You kinda suck at catching them, so I figured I’d do the work for both of us and save a lot of time,” Jesse shook the water off of himself before settling down in the dirt. Miles laughed, sitting down beside him.

“I know I suck at it. I’ll get better eventually,” he took one of the fish and began to eat it without a second thought. Miles really was adjusting to his new life fairly easily, no matter how short-lived it may be. Jesse lay on his back as he nibbled on his own fish.

“So we’re like brothers now?” Jesse asked after a while. Miles swallowed his bite and looked at him.

“If you want to be,” he nodded. Jesse grinned widely and tackled Miles, almost hugging him. Miles laughed and rolled over. “I take it you’re okay with this,” he smiled at Jesse. Jesse nodded before clambering back to his feet.

“We gotta go! The sun’s gonna set soon and we need to watch it from the cliff!” Jesse ran off as Miles followed him, not questioning it. He knew that Jesse wanted to show him the cliff when it was at its best, so he went along with it. Jesse stopped at the edge and Miles stopped as well, but because he was taken aback by the view. The sun started to disappear over the hills, causing a pink glow to settle over the whole valley. Jesse sat down and looked up at Miles. “Didn’t I tell you it had the best view?” he said softly.

“You’re right. Nothing beats this,” Miles sat beside him, smiling. They sat together in silence for a while, just taking it all in. Once the sun had fully disappeared, Jesse rolled onto his back and looked up, seeing the lights appear on the mountain. They had made their way to the base of it and Miles couldn’t help but watch the lights too, mesmerized by the swirling patterns.

“My mom told me that the lights are the spirits of our ancestors watching over us…” Jesse said, looking at Miles. “Do you think your mom is in there?” Miles looked away, then nodded.

“Her and my dad are both there…” he trailed off, coming to the realization that his father probably had a hand in the whole thing. Miles closed his eyes, rolling over. “I’m going to try and get some sleep, okay Jesse?” He felt Jesse curl up beside him, then heard his quiet breathing, meaning that he had fallen asleep. Miles slowly drifted off to sleep himself, hoping that he would finally get some answers when they made it to the peak of the mountain.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're getting another update today because I literally have nothing else to do and I just wanted to write more!

The next morning, Miles woke up to the sound of Jesse yelling. He bolted upright, but nothing was awry. Jesse was sitting a few feet away from him, a large pile of fish at his feet. Miles chuckled as he stood up, stretching his legs.

“You do realize we won’t be able to eat all of those, right? I mean, thank you for breakfast, but jeez, that’s a lot of fish,” Miles walked over to Jesse. Jesse nodded.

“I wanted to see how many I could catch. I had more, but this was all I could carry,” he began to eat, sliding a couple over to Miles. After the pair had finished eating, they headed to the mountain. The hike was going to be much shorter that day, as they were almost there. One question still burned in Miles’ mind, however. Then seemed as good a time as any to ask Jesse.

“How did you get separated from your mom? You never explained this to me,” Miles looked at him. Jesse shrugged.

“It’s not that great of a story, but I’ll tell you!” Jesse paused, thinking for a moment about how to tell the story. “Alright, so there we were, minding our own business. Mom thought she heard something, but we were just more careful. She’s always looked out for me,” the terrain began to get harder to navigate as they scaled the mountain, getting closer to the top. “Then, mom says that she actually heard voices. I heard them too, but figured the humans weren’t going to disturb us. We saw them too, but they were walking in the other direction. She didn’t think they’d leave us alone, so she told me to run away and meet her at the peak, in our favorite cave. Later, I heard gunshots, but I decided it was just the two humans shooting a deer for dinner or something, y’know?” Jesse said as they finally reached the peak. Miles took a deep breath, his voice trembling.

“Jesse… What did the humans look like?” Miles asked, almost afraid of the answer.

“Well, there was an older one with longer hair, and a younger one who had short hair. They were both in red!” Miles froze, remembering his red hoodie and his father’s red flannel. “Why, did you just want to picture the story better?” Jesse asked curiously, sitting down. Miles stared off, his mind traveling a million different directions.

“Jesse, h-how certain are you that your mother is meeting you?” he asked, still shaking. He couldn’t believe what he’d done. Miles thought he had just killed a stupid bear that got his own father killed, but he’d done something much worse.

“... Miles, are you okay?” Jesse looked at him, getting worried.

“I never told you why I needed to come here, did I?” Miles refused to make eye contact with Jesse. How could he? He’d taken this kids’ mother away from him before they’d even met.

“No, you didn’t. Miles, what’s going on? You’re scaring me.” Jesse said in a small voice.

“Jesse, I need to tell you the truth. It’s not going to be fun for either of us, but I just need to tell you something,” he sighed, shaking his head. “The truth is…” Miles trailed off, not able to tell him everything. “I saw what happened to your mother, Jesse. Those humans killed her,” he looked at Jesse, who shook his head desperately.

“No. No, you’re wrong Miles! She’s coming here, she promised! How would you even know it was her, you said you didn’t know what the humans looked like,” Jesse said tearfully as he backed away.

“Jesse, I-I was the human who killed her,” Miles finally admitted. “I was that human and something happened afterwards and I woke up as a bear!”

“Don’t lie to me Miles, that’s not possible! Stop making things up!” Jesse glared at him. “My mother is alive and she’s going to meet me here. You didn’t have anything to do with it.”

“It’s completely true. Think about it, Jesse. Why else would I have gotten stuck in that trap? How else can you explain why I’m bad at catching fish even though I’m older than you? My father was killed after trying to protect me from your mother. I-I was just angry and I took it out on her and I guess you and I are both orphans now.” Miles looked at Jesse. Jesse began to back away from Miles again, a look of fear in his eyes, not having realized before what Miles was capable of. His best friend and brother once stood was replaced with a murderer in just a few seconds. Jesse couldn’t believe he’d trusted the person who killed his mother; the reason that he’d never see her again. “Jesse, I-I’m so sorry,” Miles reached out to him.

“No! You killed my mother?! And you didn’t tell me?! I hate you, Miles! I hate you so much, I wish I never met you!” Jesse took off back into the forest in tears. Miles ran after him.

“Jesse, wait! I never meant for this to happen!” Miles looked around, not seeing or hearing Jesse any more. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. “I’m so sorry…” he mumbled, feeling immense guilt and self-loathing. The only person he’d ever truly connected with, and it turned out that Miles ruined his life for him. Miles sat down, knowing he’d jeopardized his chances of becoming a human again. Not that he even wanted to become human at that point. Human Miles killed an innocent child’s mother, while he’d taken in that same kid as a bear.

After everything that had happened, Miles didn’t think he deserved his old life back. He was better off living alone in the woods than getting anything he’d had before. In that instant, Miles would have traded anything for Jesse to get his mother back. Miles knew firsthand that the pain from losing your mother doesn’t go away. He could imagine what Jesse was feeling, and he wished he could somehow fix it. For the first time, Miles felt completely hopeless and alone.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is going to switch POVs in between sections, but I've tried to make it clear whose point of view it is so there's no confusion!

Jesse kept running until he couldn’t hear or see Miles anymore. He couldn’t believe how stupid he had been. Trusting someone who actually had taken everything away from him. Jesse climbed up into a tree, holding onto a branch as he burst into sobs. His mother was gone and all he could do was cry. He never even got to say goodbye to her. Jesse didn’t care what happened to Miles anymore, he just wanted to see his mother one last time.

Jesse climbed down from the tree, not finding the comfort that he usually got from climbing. As his feet touched the ground again, Jesse curled up beneath the tree, feeling worn out from the crying. As he began to fall asleep, he only hoped that Miles wouldn’t find him.

A few hours later, Jesse woke up from bright lights flashing all around. He lifted his head and saw the lights surrounding the peak of the mountain about a quarter mile away. As Jesse looked closer, he could see distant shapes that looked suspiciously like animals. He suddenly gasped and rose, remembering what his mother had told him about the lights. If the spirits of their ancestors were up there, maybe he could see his mother one more time. Jesse began sprinting towards the top of the mountain, hoping he wouldn’t be too late to see her.

\-----

Miles paced on the peak of the mountain, waiting for nightfall. Once the lights came out, he might be able to find his purpose. If not returning to his old self, then maybe doing something to make up for what he’d done to Jesse.

It had been hours since Jesse had run away and Miles could only worry. He worried that Jesse wouldn’t be able to be on his own for too long and could get himself hurt. Miles knew that he didn’t have the right to worry about Jesse after what he’d done, but he couldn’t help it. Even after all that had happened in the past few hours, Miles still cared for him. While he was deep in thought, the sun finally disappeared over the horizon. Miles looked around, waiting for the lights. After a painfully long minute, they flickered to life. Miles was taken aback at how bright everything was; the lights seemed dimmer when he was miles away from them. An eagle that seemed to be made entirely out of the lights landed in front of him before the form changed. Suddenly, Angus was in front of Miles, appearing to be alive once more.

“Pa!” Miles choked out, running to him. Angus looked at him, taking a deep breath.

“Miles, I’m disappointed in you for what you did to that young boy’s mother,” Angus sighed, looking down at him. “But, you made up for it by taking him in and telling him the truth. You just needed to learn to be compassionate for someone you wouldn’t normally engage with. And you did just that.” He nodded.

“So, what does this mean for me?” Miles took a step closer to him. “Am I going to be this way forever?” Angus chuckled and put his hand on Miles’ shoulder.

“No, I’m going to let you go back to the way you were. You’ve learned your lesson, so I'm giving you what you want,” he took a step back and Miles was lifted into the air.

"Wait, I don't even know if this is what I want anymore!" he called out, but Angus was already gone. Miles saw a burst of light swirling around him like before, then nothing.

\-----

“Please don’t let me be too late…” Jesse muttered to himself as he finally reached the peak. The lights were still there; he still had a chance to see her. Jesse looked around, then saw a form in a red hooded sweatshirt crumpled on the ground. He carefully walked towards it curiously before the figure woke up. Jesse jumped back, recognizing him instantly. Miles’ eyes squinted from the bright lights above and he stood up shakily, not used to standing on two legs, before looking down at himself, realizing a change had happened. He noticed Jesse and stopped.

“Jesse, you don’t have to be scared of me. I-I’m still Miles, I’m just a… Different Miles,” he said softly, kneeling down so he wasn’t towering over Jesse intimidatingly. Jesse shook his head as the lights around them went out. So much for being able to see his mom. As the lights died down, a heavy rain began, soaking them both instantly. The only thing on the mountain now was Jesse, cowering in fear, and Miles, shivering in his damp jeans and thin hoodie.

“You’re not the Miles I know, you’re the human who killed my mom!” Jesse cried out before realizing that Miles couldn’t understand him in his human form. Miles bit his lip, obviously pained that he couldn’t communicate with Jesse anymore.

“I’m sorry, Jesse. I wish I could take everything back, but I can’t,” he wrapped his arms around himself, looking away. “If I could do anything to help you, I would. I still care about you, but I can’t stay here any longer. I have to go home,” Miles looked down at his worn-out hiking boots.

Jesse turned away, feeling betrayed. He had been ready to forgive Miles; he was the only thing even remotely close to a family that Jesse had left. But then, he didn’t know what to think anymore. This wasn’t the Miles he knew, this was the thing that had killed his mother. Jesse shook his head, running away. He couldn’t trust anything or anyone again. He was right back in the position he was in before. Feeling heartbroken and miserable with nowhere else to go, Jesse ran for as long as he could before feeling emotionally and physically exhausted. He lay down somewhere out of sight and shivered, feeling chilled from the rain. He dreaded whatever life had in store for him next, wishing it was just some nightmare that dragged on for far too long.


	8. Chapter 8

Miles eventually made his way back to the abandoned campsite, not knowing what to do next. The tent still had the tarp over it, which was a godsend. Everything was dry on the inside as he climbed in the tent. He peeled the soaking hoodie over his head, searching for the rest of his clothes. At that point, all he wanted to do was find the keys to his dad’s beaten up truck so he could go home and forget everything that had happened. Miles grabbed a granola bar from his bag, relieved that no animals had broken into the tent in the days that he’d been gone.

Laying down on the cold sleeping bag, Miles reached into his backpack and found another sweatshirt to replace his completely soaked hoodie. He pulled it on over his head and looked around, not sure where to go from there. For all he cared, he could leave the tent up and everything inside as long as he got out of those woods. Eventually, he grabbed his bag, shoving his father’s belongings into it. He couldn’t just leave those behind. Once he found the keys to the truck, he left. It didn’t matter to him that it was the middle of the night, Miles only wanted to go home.

After an hour of hiking through the miserable weather, he finally found the truck. Pulling out the keys, he threw his bag into the passenger seat and sat for a moment, staring at the forest. It was hard to believe that just five days prior, he and his father hiked through those same trees, expecting a nice weekend together in the woods. As he started the car, his dad’s prized Phil Collins CD started blaring over the speakers. Miles froze, turning the stereo off instantly. He couldn’t be reminded more of his dad, it would only make the drive more painful. The long way home was so draining. Miles was alone with his thoughts for too long and all he wanted was to sleep. The bright lights of the city came into view and Miles relaxed a little, knowing it was only ten minutes to his apartment. He got out of the truck, feeling ready to sleep for days. Miles barely made it inside when he collapsed onto his couch, hoping the last five days were just some weird dream that he would wake up from the next day.

He woke up late the next day, hearing his phone go off. Miles groaned and rolled over, reaching for his phone that he lazily discarded on the coffee table the night before.

“Hello?” he asked groggily, sitting up on the couch as he held his phone to his ear. “Oh, hey Craig… Yeah, I’ve been sick all week,” he lied to his boss. “Uh huh, well I… Was in the hospital for dehydration for the past few days,” Miles cringed at his own lie, knowing how fake he must have sounded. “Sure thing, I’ll definitely be back by Monday. Thanks again, see you then,” Miles hung up, laying back again. His old hiking boots were still on his feet and his damp socks and jeans just served as a reminder that everything that had happened in the days before was all true. At least he had the next three days to recover from the incident until he needed to be back at work.

Miles managed to pull himself up off the couch and dragged his feet all the way to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, he wasn’t surprised to see that he looked as if he’d dug himself from the seventh level of hell. His hair was extremely messy and tangled, dark circles were under his eyes from exhaustion, and his normally pale face was somehow even whiter. There was a bruise on his cheek, but had no clue where it had come from.

“God, I wish Jesse were with me right now,” Miles sighed as he grabbed himself a towel from the cabinet beneath the sink. Even if Jesse hated him by that point, his company would be far preferable to being alone and having to deal with everything by himself. Miles knew he’d made a mistake by going to the mountain. He wouldn’t have told Jesse the truth then, and he wouldn’t have to deal with his miserable life. For the first time ever, Miles actually wished he were back in the forest. As he stepped into the hot shower, he felt some of the tension go away, but his mind kept returning to Jesse. He was so worried about him and couldn’t help but hope Jesse was safe, wherever he was.

After that, Miles tried to go about his life as he would normally on a Friday afternoon. He managed to get himself dressed and unpacked his bag, leaving his father’s belongings on his bed. Miles then started a load of laundry, trying to distract himself and not give his mind any free time to overthink anything. His stomach rumbled and he went to the kitchen before noticing that there was little food in the cupboards. He sighed, grabbing the car keys off of the coffee table.

“Just my luck…” he muttered, pulling an oversized sweater over his t-shirt and slipped on a clean pair of sneakers. Miles headed out the door before stopping, realizing that everything was a mistake. He didn’t need to go back to the way things were before they left. All Miles had to do was give up the life he had so he could spend it with Jesse as a bear instead of selfishly trying to make things better for himself. It’s what they both needed; they’d both be happier that way. He smiled to himself as he got into his dad’s old truck, mentally saying goodbye to his old life.

After an hour of driving and blasting his dad’s favorite album, Miles found the familiar trailhead and pulled over. He climbed out of the truck and took a deep breath, knowing he had something that needed to be done before he could go back to being a bear. Trying to remember the way, Miles hiked quickly through the forest. Hours passed and just as he was about to give up, he saw the river with the most perfect climbing tree beside it. He knew this was Jesse’s favorite spot, and it was only a matter of time before he would be there.

Miles sat in the shade of the tree for a while, resting until he hear footsteps to his left. He saw Jesse come into view and sat up straighter. Jesse noticed him and froze, about to run away.

“Jesse, wait… I know I can’t understand you, but I know you can understand me, so please just let me explain things,” Miles sighed. Jesse reluctantly nodded and sat down a few feet from Miles. “Look, I just want things to be the way they were. We had each other and we were happy. I’m going to go back up to the mountain to have my father change me back into a bear,” Miles admitted to Jesse. Jesse curiously took a few steps closer to him. “No matter what happens, we’re still brothers. That doesn’t just go away. Nightfall is about an hour or two from now, so I’m going to head up there as soon as I can. I can’t change what happened, but please just know that I’m sorry and this is just me setting things right. Will you come with me?” he asked, not sure what Jesse’s response would be. He was about to stand up and leave after a minute of Jesse just standing there and watching him when Jesse suddenly leapt into his arms. Miles laughed a little and hugged Jesse tightly, glad that he was forgiven. Miles rose to his feet as he set Jesse down. “Come on, hopefully it’s not too late to change me back!” He began to run through the forest with Jesse in tow.

Miles could only hope that his father would be willing to help him out. After all, Miles had had a change of heart. He wasn’t being selfish anymore, and he needed to fix things for good. If he couldn’t fix this, then he had no clue what he was going to do. All Miles knew was that it needed to be done that night or it might never happen. Both he and Jesse’s lives were at stake.


	9. Chapter 9

The trip up to the peak of the mountain was filled with tension and stress. Miles and Jesse were both extremely worried. Neither of them wanted to lose each other, and the way to the mountain seemed too far to travel in the short amount of time they had.

After an hour of running through the woods, Miles was feeling exhausted, but kept pushing himself. He had to set things right or he might lose the only thing close to a family that he had left. Every so often, he stopped to make sure Jesse was still with him and made sure that he wasn’t too tired to keep going. Not being able to actually understand Jesse was killing him, another reason why he needed to change back. He desperately wanted to hear Jesse’s thoughts on everything and to make sure that he was okay.

The sun started to set as they reached the mountain, not quite on the peak yet. Miles sat down, needing a short break. He was sure that the mountain would be much harder to climb than before. Jesse sat beside him, leaning against his side. Miles put his arm around the small bear cub, smiling a little.

“I’m really glad that I’m back here with you,” Miles said softly to him. Jesse nodded in agreement. After a moment of catching his breath, Miles stood up once more and began scaling the mountain. The jagged rocks dug into his hands and he cursed under his breath, wishing he’d worn something better than his worn out sneakers. His feet kept slipping, his hands kept getting cut by the rocks, but Miles knew it would be over with soon. Even through everything, he couldn’t help but think that maybe it would all be for nothing. Maybe the lights wouldn’t be back after his father had changed him back into a human. Maybe this wasn’t how things were supposed to be.

As the sun completely disappeared over the horizon, the peak didn’t become illuminated by the lights, which worried Miles. He pulled himself up the last foot and sat there for a minute, becoming caught up in his thoughts. If they weren’t there now, they might never be. Jesse climbed up after him, looking around at the sky for the lights. Miles closed his eyes, laying back onto the cold rocks.

“I think we’re too late, Jesse. I don’t think the lights are going to be back,” Miles put his head in his hands, giving up. “This is all my fault, I’m sorry,” he muttered as Jesse sat beside him, putting a paw on his knee comfortingly. Miles didn’t know where to go from there. He’d had the chance to make everything right again, but it was taken away from him.

As soon as Miles had given up, the lights suddenly appeared, filling the peak of the mountain with their warm glow. Miles stood up quickly, looking around at them all. He smiled a little, relieved to have his second chance back.

“Miles, are you completely sure that this is what you want?” Miles heard a voice behind him. He spun around and saw his father looking at him with an almost concerned look, as if he wasn’t sure of Miles’ decision. Miles nodded, looking down at Jesse.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I just need to be there for him; I want to be there for him. That’s what a family does. They give things up in order to make everyone happy,” Miles smiled at Angus. A look of pride swept across Angus’ face as he chuckled lightly, pulling Miles into a tight hug.

“I’m proud of you. You know that, right? Not that many people would be willing to give up their lives for the sake of someone else. I know that you’re doing the right thing,” He ruffled Miles’ hair as if he were a kid again. As Angus let him go, he was enveloped by the light. Miles closed his eyes as he was lifted into the air once more. Jesse backed up, looking away as the lights flashed brightly. He ran over to Miles as he came back to the ground. Seeing the familiar dark brown fur, Jesse nudged him. He hadn't moved in a few minutes and Jesse was scared that something had gone horribly wrong.

“Miles? You okay?” he asked worriedly. As Jesse kept nudging him, Miles opened his eyes. Miles looked around, then noticed that he was a bear again. He knew everything was as it should be in that instant. “Hey, Miles, you gotta say something!” Jesse urged him, worried that Miles still wasn't able to understand him.

“Jesse, if something was wrong, pushing me repeatedly wouldn’t help, now would it?” Miles muttered sarcastically and rolled over. “I'm fine, you don't have to be scared. Everything’s going to be just fine from now on.” Miles smiled at him. Jesse grinned widely, tackling Miles to the ground playfully. Miles laughed and hugged him. Jesse was obviously happy to have the Miles he knew back.

“I knew it would work! I can't believe we were so close to giving up! But then it happened and… I'm just so happy that we can finally be brothers again,” Jesse sighed happily. Miles sat there for a moment, feeling a great appreciation for everything that had happened. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He may have lost the rest of his family, but he gained a new one. If there was one thing he’d learned, it was to appreciate the live he was given. And this life, the life of a bear, was much preferable to being alone and in mourning. Miles was happy, and he knew his new brother was too. He couldn’t wait for the next chapter of his life to unfold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not over yet, despite how it seems! There's gonna be another chapter of just good old Tuck bro bonding!


	10. Chapter 10

“Wow, Miles, you  _ really _ suck at this,” Jesse laughed as Miles splashed around aimlessly in the river, trying to catch a fish. “How did you ever catch your food as a human, because this is just sad,” he sat down, knowing it would take a while before Miles got anywhere close to catching anything.

“I didn't,” Miles sputtered as water went up his nose for the hundredth time. “We didn't have to catch food, we just had to go get it. And it didn't move in a river, it sat on a shelf. This is just ridiculous,” Miles walked over to the riverbank, shaking the water off of him.

“Hey, you chose to stay like this, so I'm going to help you be a real bear! You can't have some kid catching all your food for you,” Jesse walked over to him. “Want me to demonstrate again?” Miles nodded. It had been a week since he changed back and he still hasn't gotten the hang of things. As much as Jesse made fun of him, he was still understanding and helpful. Jesse leapt into the water and Miles watched him. When Jesse did it, it didn't seem so difficult. But he’d been raised on it, whereas Miles had a week and a half of experience.

Despite his difficulty with fishing, Miles had adjusted to his new life fairly quickly and easily. It was very different from his life before, but it was so much easier and simplistic. Miles knew without a doubt that he’d made the right decision.

“Why don't we take a break and just eat?” Jesse asked as he carried two fish out of the river, setting them down in front of Miles.

“Good idea,” Miles smiled at him as they began to munch on the fish. He stopped after a while, looking at Jesse. “Jesse, what’s the deal with hibernation? Are we really just going to sleep for months in a few weeks?” Miles asked. Jesse snorted before falling over from laughter. Miles pouted. “I'm serious!”

“Yes, Miles. We are, and I don't know why you’d even have to ask that. It's a fact of life, even you should know it!” Jesse kept laughing at Miles’ lack of knowledge. Miles rolled his eyes, continuing to eat.

“I know that not all bears hibernate, so I was just asking,” Miles shrugged. “I’ve never slept more than fourteen hours, and that time was just because I’d stayed up all night the day before. Remember, this is still all new to me!” Miles defended himself. Jesse nodded.

“You’re right. It’s just funny to me because all of this is just basic knowledge! I’ve never thought twice about any of it,” Jesse stretched as he finished off his fish. “Wanna try again? You almost had it last time!”

“Sure,” Miles chuckled. “If I don’t get the hang of it now, it’ll just be more work for me later,” he walked to the river’s edge before jumping in. Jesse watched him, excited to see if he’d actually get the hang of it. Miles went after a fish, but eventually it got away. He sighed, feeling frustrated.

“Try again! I don’t always get them on the first try!” Jesse encouraged from the shore. Miles nodded, determined to catch something. Three more attempts passed, and Miles felt more discouraged after each one. By that time, he wanted to catch something more out of spite than anything else, just to prove that he could. Jesse noticed his frustration and called out to him again. “Just give it one more shot!”

“I’m never going to get this,” Miles muttered to himself. He went to catch the final fish, then was surprised when he got it. As it flopped wildly between his teeth, Miles ran back to the shore triumphantly.

“See, you got it! I knew you could!” Jesse cheered, jumping on Miles. Miles beamed proudly, setting the fish down. “Now you’re a real bear,” Jesse teased lightly. Miles laughed, pushing Jesse off of him.

“If it takes me that long every time, we might have a problem,” he chuckled. Jesse shrugged.

“It used to take me a long time to catch anything, that’s normal for learning! It’s kind of like I’m the older brother because you’re basically helpless,” he laughed.

“Oh you’re the older brother? Which one of us is scared of noises in the middle of the night?” Miles teased, nudging him. Jesse pouted in annoyance.

“Come on, there’s creepy things that happen at night! Forgive me for being cautious!” He began to walk away.

“Jesse, we’re at the top of the food chain. They’re more scared of you than you are of them,” Miles followed him. Jesse jumped up, climbing his favorite tree. Miles followed him easily, having had his lesson in tree climbing a few days prior. He’d never met anyone who loved climbing so much, but he went along with it. It made Jesse happy, so Miles participated with him. “What did you want to do next?” Miles asked, looking up at him.

“Dunno. I kinda just wanted to relax for a bit. You’ve been working on a lot of stuff lately, so we could both use a break!” Jesse grinned at him. Miles nodded.

“Sounds good! A break would be nice,” Miles agreed. After a while, he and Jesse climbed down from the tree, lounging beneath it in the shade. Miles was so grateful that he’d agreed to go on the camping trip with his dad. If he hadn’t, he’d just have his stale life in the middle of a generic city. At least then, he felt fulfilled with his life. He and Jesse had each other, and in that moment, that’s all that mattered.


End file.
